Who would think of using 3D printing in a fashion contest? Justin LeBlanc's innovative 3D printed accessories has helped earn him a spot on Project Runway's finale last week.

Project Runway Season 12 is the twelfth season of the television show Project Runway which began airing on July 18, 2013 with 15 designers competing to become "the next great American designer." After episode 12 "Butterfly Effect," fashion designers Bradon McDonald and Dom Streater, were guaranteed spots in the final runway show at New York Fashion Week. Helen Castillo, Alexandria von Bromssen, and Justin LeBlanc, were sent home to design ten-piece collections, to compete for the chance to join Bradon and Dom in the finals.

LeBlanc, an assistant professor in the College of Design, NC State University, has created a series of garments accentuated by belts and neckpieces in the shape of concentric circles created on a 3D printer.

LeBlanc is deaf and did not receive a cochlear implant until he was 18, meaning that until then his world was total silence. At first, hearing sound felt like an intrusion and he didn't like it, but he has now come to terms with using a hearing aid. His collection was designed to represent that transition.

"This tells my story, the transition from a deaf person to a person who could hear," he told the judges.

When Tim Gunn travels to the designer's home to check his work, LeBlanc shows him the 3D printer that he's using to create accessories for his collection, which are meant to help illustrate his theme of sound waves. And Gunn was impressed with the use of 3D printing to create the accessories that unified the collection.

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This week, Project Runway Season 12 - Episode 14 "The Finale, Part 2" will be broadcast on Thursday night October 17th, 2013 on Lifetime, and we will see LeBlanc and other three designers compete for the finale on the runway at New York Fashion Week.

LeBlanc was emotional after the judges picked him for the finale. "This is a shock," he said. "A dream come true."